Inuvik (Feb 24/03) - In today's fast-paced world, it is sometimes impossible to sneak away from the office for a few minutes.

That's where the long-awaited coffee breaks come in. Whether you are bombarded with paperwork or idly

Rob Cook, owner of Cafe Gallery in Inuvik, prepares a fresh pot of java for caffeine-craving customers taking a break from work. - Tara Kearsey/NNSL photo

passing away time, a little down time in the form of a caffeine break is always welcome. Some employers still schedule coffee breaks for their workers, such as the Hamlet of Holman. Employees there are allotted two half-hour breaks each day, one at 10 a.m. and the other at 3 p.m.

Colin Okheena, acting SAO, said the breaks are pretty flexible. He usually takes his somewhere around the scheduled time, whenever he is not too busy.

Others take cigarette breaks.

"In every office there is usually a smoke break around that time," he said.

"We usually have coffee here in the office, but if we are real busy we will take (a break) later because sometimes it does get pretty busy."

Others use the valuable time to run errands that cannot be done after work, or to meet up with acquaintances.

At the Tetlit Gwich'in Council in Fort McPherson, there are no coffee breaks. There, it's all about the work.

"We work in this office and we don't take a break," said community co-ordinator William Koe.

"We work nine to five. We have coffee available all the time and we just take it in our offices."He believes scheduled coffee breaks are a waste of time, noting a co-worker doesn't have time to talk to anyone because she is so busy.

"We're in an office. We don't need to stop for coffee. We can get coffee whenever we want it. Right now I'm having tea," he said. Koe said the Tetlit Gwich'in Council employees are permitted to take breaks, but he doesn't see the need for it. "If someone is working outside in the cold and working hard they should get to come in for a coffee break and warm up. But it's a different environment in an office," he said. He does admit, however, that he and his colleagues do take a few minutes to drink tea and have a chat every now and then.